· Casting news abounds this Tuesday morning. And leading the pack is Jim Belushi, who will return to television for the hourlong CBS drama pilot Defenders. Instead of playing a blue-collar family man, the According to Jim star will channel his inner fiery Las Vegas defense attorney for the show, which will be executive produced by CSI's Carol Mendelsohn. Belushi will play Nick, a charismatic defender with marital problems and a drinking problem. Who is ready for some laughs? [Reuters]
Jane Kaczmarek rejoins the ranks of sitcom mothers, Leah Remini recruits a village, and more TV Bites after the jump.
· The ABC comedy pilot Who Gets the Parents? has cast Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) and Adam Arkin (Sons of Anarchy) as the title parents, who, after 30 years of marriage, decide to divorce and become more active in the lives of their adult children. Andrew West (Greek) and Derek Richardson (Men in Trees) will play two of the three unlucky progeny. [THR]
· ABC has also cast Leah Remini as the lead in another comedy pilot, It Takes a Village. She'll star as a mother who is forced to raise her 15-year-old boy with her significant other, her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. [THR]
· Evander Holyfield backed out of a scheduled appearance on The Dr. Phil Show after meeting the television doctor last week for dinner. The former heavyweight champ was slated to appear with his wife Candi and discuss their recent domestic violence incident, but he reportedly felt that the doctor "was totally man-bashing him" in their preliminary talks. [Radar]
· And finally, Jessica Simpson is expected to discuss John Mayer's comments about the couple's bedroom habits when she appears on The Oprah Winfrey Show to promote her upcoming VH1 series The Price of Beauty. [TVGuide]